breaking down barriars
by Hananiah
Summary: AU Leia is frozen in carbonite and while searching for her Luke and Han discover they have feelings for each other LukeHan, LeiaMara
1. Default Chapter

Title: Breaking down the walls  
  
Summery: Leia is frozen in carbonite and Han and Luke develop  
  
feelings for each other as they search for her.  
  
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Goerge Lucas  
  
A/N: This is way AU and since I wondered if Han and Luke could hook  
  
up why not Leia/Mara. This follows from the end of ESB, but Leia is frozen and is brought to the death star and Luke fights his father and then goes back to Dagohah.  
  
A/N 2: Tarkin survived and Leia and Han are together for the first  
  
part but it passes I promise. Plz not ROTJ happens right after the  
  
prolouge so Luke knows Leia is his sister.  
  
AN: 3 Palpatine is going insane and Mara is begining to rebel  
  
Rating: PG rating may raise  
  
1/?  
  
Prologue  
  
ESB  
  
A loud hissing noise filled the room, and steam rose, blocking Han  
  
Solo's sight for a moment, despreatly he searched for his friends, he  
  
could see Chewie being held by several stormtroopers with Threepio  
  
tied to his back.  
  
Leia wasn't there.  
  
Han struggled against his bounds turning painfully to regard Vader  
  
and Tarkin.  
  
The latter was smiling, his skeleton face drawn into a spiteful smile.  
  
"Where is she?" Han demanded, he was surprised at how calm his voice  
  
came out because inside he was screaming for Luke.  
  
"She will join us in a moment" Tarkin informed him pleasntly, his  
  
voice grating on Han's skin.  
  
He wasn't surprised as he was dragged by Darth Vader toward a  
  
platform with a trapdoor carved into it.  
  
He was facing death.  
  
'Oh God Luke find us please find us'  
  
But Tarkin raised a finger to stop the dark lord.  
  
"Bring her in" he commanded, the steam parted and Boba Fett emerged  
  
compleatly obscurred by his armour in front of him Princess Leia  
  
marched her footsteps in military steps, she kept her head up facing  
  
Vader and Tarkin down.  
  
She had been stripped off her jumpsuit and was wearing a deep green  
  
vest and combat trousers.  
  
Tarkin faced Vader "Bring her"  
  
Han couldn't belive it. He was even more surprised that sith was  
  
hesitating.  
  
Tarkin noted Vader's hesitently and his voice rose "Lord Vader. Bring  
  
the prisoner forward"  
  
Vader's grip on Han tightened and Han felt as if his arm was being  
  
torn off.  
  
The pain was released quickly and Vader marched forward, grabbing the  
  
Princess's arm.  
  
Leia stumbled once, twisting her leg painfully. Han winced for her  
  
but she didn't cry out.  
  
Vader left her standing on the platform, she made a remote figure  
  
standing alone in the middle of the room, arms bound behind her.  
  
That was enough for chewie.  
  
With a roar the wookie lunged forward, trying to reach Leia but was  
  
hindered by Fett's laser pistol.  
  
"Chewie don't"  
  
Leia's firm tone stopped the wookie. Chewie lumbered forward bringing  
  
Leia into a bear hug. The princess whispered some words of comfort  
  
and nodded to Han. The Wookie's face seemed surprised but he nodded.  
  
Then Leia faced Han.  
  
She smirked a little half smile then wrenched her arm free and  
  
saluted him, she didn't complain as Fett rebound her. Han couldn't  
  
put his finger on it but he felt Leia knew something he didn't.  
  
It happened in slow motion for Han as Leia dropped.  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
ROTJ  
  
"You alright kid?" Luke woke up to see Han staring at him, gently  
  
tracing his brow with his finger absently.  
  
Luke had recenently returned from his trip to Dagobah, he had come  
  
back changed, older.  
  
"They got Leia" Luke guessed, when Han nodded Luke felt something  
  
inside him twist and tighten.  
  
Luke sat up painfully, resting his head on Han's shoulder.  
  
"Where did they take her"  
  
Han shrugged  
  
"Any Imperial starship. Tarkin's probably got her hanging on his  
  
dining room wall."  
  
Luke shivered, his hands running over the metal hand that replaced  
  
his real one.  
  
Han's cheast heaved. This was his fault.  
  
He felt so bad, even when Leia was being frozen all he could think  
  
about was Luke.  
  
Now the Jedi's face was drawn.  
  
Han suddenly realized Luke loved the princess. Han's heart felt as if  
  
it were shattered.  
  
He couldn't blame him. Leia was brave and loyal and beautiful.  
  
He was a pirate.  
  
But still he had hoped.  
  
"You love her don't you" Han stated, not wanting to know but needing  
  
closure.  
  
Luke wasn't looking at him but at the far wall deep in thought.  
  
"Of course"  
  
Han nodded and began to get up. He needed to be alone.  
  
"'Kay, I'm gonna make sure we got the hyperdrive up and running. I  
  
still don't trust Lando"  
  
Luke felt a presence in the force. Something was terribly wrong with  
  
Han.  
  
"Han?"  
  
But Han had gone.  
  
********************************************************************  
  
Mara Jade stealthy made her way into one of the unused corridors of  
  
the spinning death star.  
  
For a long time she stared at the prone figure hanging on the wall.  
  
This was the legendary Leia Organa.  
  
Mara scowled.  
  
Damn do gooder probably got what she deserved.  
  
Mara had met Leia three years before, two months before Aldeeran had  
  
been destroyed.  
  
She had started to question the Emperors sanity and had started to  
  
become a bounty Hunter.  
  
Leia had been her pray. There had been many who would have liked to  
  
have silenced the young senator from Aldeeran.  
  
But she had not reliazed how smart her mark would have been in  
  
escaping her clutches.  
  
Mara stared a the carbonized figure, reliving every feature. Leia's  
  
face was almost expressionless, even in suspended animation.  
  
No doubt the rebels would be divising a plan to free her.  
  
And that could be her ticket to escape the insane man's clutches for  
  
good.  
  
Mara could care less whether the Rebellion won, wouldn't care if the  
  
Empire fell as long as she could be free.  
  
Living the life she wanted.  
  
She didn't want to be life bound to the Emperor any longer.  
  
Mara crept away silently.  
  
********************************************************************  
  
Silence filled the Millenium Falcon, Han stared out of the window,  
  
shaken by Luke's omission, Luke was still training in the hold, while  
  
Chewie was trying to get through to the rest of the rebellion.  
  
Han looked up as static filled the comn unit and Mon Mothma's voice  
  
filtered over the instruments.  
  
"General Solo, Commander Skywalker"  
  
Han bristled for a moment but then reconised the emotion in the  
  
woman's normally cool voice.  
  
Word had gotten through about Leia then.  
  
"I need you to land on cloud city again"  
  
That woke Han up from his stupor over Luke.  
  
"What?"  
  
The womans' face remained impassively cool. "Lando has managed to  
  
regain control of the city with some-help" there it was something in  
  
her voice.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Just land there Captain Solo"  
  
The intermission collapsed.  
  
Luke came out of the hold hearing the conversation.  
  
"So cloud City?"  
  
Han tried to focus. Luke wore only a guazy top that showed his newly  
  
aquired muscles off to full advantage. The gold skin was lightly  
  
brushed with sweat.  
  
Han suddenly felt the oxygen in the room dissipate.  
  
"To cloud city"  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
Han and Luke carefully emerged from the Falcon, each armed with  
  
either blaster or lightsaber.  
  
Han managed a smile as Lando Calrissian emerged but it faded as he  
  
saw his companion.  
  
He knew how Lando had regained Cloud city.  
  
"Mara Jade"  
  
"Han Solo"  
  
The two faced off.  
  
Han relented first.  
  
"You know how to find the princess?"  
  
Mara's green eyes bored into his. "Why I'm here.  
  
TBC 


	2. freedom

Hey I am back with another chapter. To those who reviewed and didn't like it HA! If you don't like it don't read it. Thanks to everyone who came back with positive feedback thank you so much. I really, really appreciated. The flamers thank you for inspiring me to write more.  
  
Cloud City  
  
Despite the Empire's occupation of the planet, Cloud city remained much unchanged. Although much of their equipment had been destroyed by the Imperials. Lando led the way explaining his idea as they walked. Luke's mind churned on though, he couldn't figure Han's behaviour, one minute he was sure they had had a moment and the next Han couldn't seem to bare being in the same room as him. He listened with half and ear as Han and Mara laid into one another, their jibes and taunts reminding him of Han and Leia so long ago. Leia Her name brought another pain to Luke. In some ways he couldn't believe she was his sister. That closeness he had always felt for her now had a reason.  
  
"So this is your marvellous plan?" Mara asked scathingly, her long red hair tumbled down her back in waves and her eyes burned. Luke remembered when Leia had burned with that much passion. "The Rebellion is going to mass and strike the Death Star, it hasn't got any defence at the moment and the Emperor is there. We can end this war." Lando pressed Mara snorted, crossing her arms over her chest angrily, Luke touched her aura through the force and was surprised that much of Mara's anger seemed to be based in fear. Before he could think much further her shields came down and Mara fixed him with a glare. "Unless your scared" Han leaned against the wall casually, hands in pockets staring at the Redhead. Mara turned slowly to face the pilot and when she spoke it was soft. Luke felt ice grip him as Mara said, "What?" Han lifted his hands in an innocent gesture that Luke knew belied his true feelings. Han wanted Mara mad Luke knew. "You're precious Emperor is there. Maybe you couldn't really turn against him"  
  
Mara's features tightened slightly and then she smiled. She returned Han's look as she said  
  
"Then you won't see your Princess again"  
  
**************************************************************************** ****** Death star  
  
Mara knew her part. Making sure every Imp was otherwise engaged Mara entered the chamber that held Leia Organa. She stared at the mechanism making sure she knew how it worked. With all her strength she pushed the lever down, silently wincing as it emitted a high pitch wail. Mara took a step back as the carbonated tinged features of Princess Leia turned red as her casing started to melt. Finally the casing fell away and Leia fell boneless to the floor, Mara broke her fall, stopping the inert body from crashing to the floor. Kneeling Mara made sure that Leia's upper body was supported as she checked for a pulse in either her neck or her wrist. Nothing. Leia's features were blank and tinged with ice and water, her eyes were open but Mara could see no light in them. Leia's whole body was covered in fine water as the heat of the corridor melted the ice that covered her. Mara struggled to keep Leia slipping out of her arms; the princess was as insubstantial as snow. "Come on Princess you gotta do something here" Dutifully Leia began to cough and her head pitched back dangerously as she woke up. Leia blinked several times and Mara realized that Leia couldn't see. "Who are you?" Leia's voice shook as she desperately tried to regain oxygen. "A friend" Mara answered. She knew they had to get out of here before someone was alerted that Mara was gone. Leia seemed to catch onto the implication in Mara's tone as she groped for a handhold on the smooth floor. Leia tried to get up but she was as weak as a newborn child, ignoring the chattering protests Mara pulled Leia into her arms, resting the Princess's head on her shoulder. Suddenly the whole place shook and Mara changed her grip quickly. The rebels must've got a shot it Mara peered out of the adjoining corridor. Chaos rained as Imperials and storm troopers evacuated. Mara ducked and dove into the mass hoping in the confusion that no one would see her. She paused as she reached the throne room, she could hear a great battle going on within. Skywalker. Mara thought about going in but then shrugged. Skywalker was on his own. She had her own problems.  
  
Han paced outside the medical bay worry turning his handsome features into a scowl. He looked up as Luke emerged. The Jedi looked tired and worn. Without thinking Han grabbed him into a big hug, whispering thanks to the Gods for bringing this man that he loved home. Han tensed slightly as he stared into Luke's eyes. They seemed so old suddenly and Han wanted to take that pain away. Acting on impulse Han brought Luke's face closer and kissed him, the whole world fading away in a rush. Han couldn't feel anything except the warmth of Luke's mouth and the cloth of the other's tunic. Han jerked away as if ice water had been poured over him. "Leia" He didn't say anything else. He didn't need to both had identical looks of shame. "Oh God" Luke burst out, his knees caved in and he fell to the floor, running his hands through his hair. "We shouldn't have done that" Han shifted slightly, he didn't need Luke telling him he was wrong. "Leia's gonna be so upset" Luke rambled. Han's eyes blazed suddenly in anger although he knew he shouldn't have. Everything came at him at once. Luke loved Leia he had admitted as much on the millennium Falcon. "I don't want to hurt Leia" Luke anguished turning towards the wall. Embittered Han turned away as well, shame making the blood rush to his face where it had been in other places a moment ago. "And I do?" he demanded. "You assume I think so little of her?" Luke didn't answer. Han decided he had to say something this was killing him inside. He needed everything to be easy between them again. "You love her" Luke's expression told him that he had knocked the Jedi sideways. "What? Han we've been through this yes I love Leia. That's a given"  
  
'And you just betrayed her' a nasty voice added in his head.  
  
Luke just couldn't understand what was going on with Han. Suddenly it dawned on him, despite his legs aching he leapt forward to intercept Han's leaving. "I love Leia because she's my sister" Han's face slackened and then selfish hope lit his face. "Sister?" Luke nodded. Awkward silence filled the corridor as Luke realized he was holding Han's hand tightly. Quickly he let it go. "Okay, Okay we gotta figure this out" Han muttered, seeming interested in the floor. Suddenly his head shot up and he stared at Luke intensely. "Do you love me?" The question hung in the air for a long time, all air seemed sucked out of the room and Luke could only stare at his companion. Finally he managed a squeaky yes. Han stared through the window, seeing Leia hooked up to machines that breathed for her. Tears filled his eyes but he couldn't lie. "have to tell her" he managed. 


	3. confrontation

"I should be gone," Mara Jade told herself as she fiddled with the needle in Leia's arm. The sleeping form of the princess didn't offer an opinion. Mara arched her back hearing her back creak. She hadn't been trained for this. She was trained to kill people not keep midnight vigils at a bedside.  
  
Mara sat back down a feeling of helplessness descending upon her. She had nothing to do. Mara didn't even know why she was here. She and Leia had met in the past but nothing that warranted a three-day stop in the healer's wing. Leia had fallen into a deep coma after Mara had rescued her. Her body unable to adjust to everything that had happened, but her body was tough. Mara had to admit Leia had balls.  
  
Her reputation defiantly preceded her, along with a number of stunned and unconscious Imperials. Whether Mara liked it or not, she defiantly respected the other woman.  
  
Besides hanging with Skywalker and Solo without killing them was a good enough reason for Mara.  
  
Mara leaned back into her chair wondering what she could talk about. The healers had told her that Leia could hear and so Mara had pretty much described her life story-she figured she had nothing to loose.  
  
Now she was stuck.  
  
"So when are you planning on gracing us with your presence huh?" Mara asked the form. "I mean no offence but this rebellion you got going ain't exactly running like clockwork without you"  
  
She wasn't joking. Leia seemed like the glue that held this shoddy thing together. But Mara reflected that was the price you paid when you left men in charge.  
  
Mara's hypersensitive hearing picked up the soft rustling first drawing the ex assassin to the bed. Leia was turning her head from side to side, each time her eyes got a little bit wider. Mara kicked the chair away, kneeling in front of the bed, eager to see Leia wake up.  
  
Leia choked a couple of times and Mara braced her head with her arm until the princess breathed easily.  
  
"Please tell me I'm not in the healers wing," Leia groaned. She was still blind but she managed to locate the other person in the room.  
  
Mara swallowed the need to wrap Leia in a hug.  
  
She shrugged then realized that Leia couldn't see her.  
  
"Sorry then."  
  
Leia's face contorted suddenly in confusion. Mara could almost see the wheels in the Princess's head turning.  
  
"Mara?" the name came out tentative and unsure.  
  
"The one and only"  
  
Leia scowled. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Saving your ass from a lifetime of being a miniature wall hanging"  
  
Leia laughed which in her weakened state sounded very much like a gasp of air.  
  
Leia's eyes began to travel a useless gesture but Mara understood it. "Is Han here?" Mara winced as she heard the emotion Leia would not let colour her voice. Bail had taught her well. Mara bit back on a surge of anger at Solo. Here Leia could only think of him and Han was making public displays on love and devotion to her own brother.  
  
"No." Mara wasn't sure what she could say. She watched Leia's face smooth out a little.  
  
"He's probably out playing Hero, setting up games of cards."  
  
Weakly Leia got out of bed, instantly Mara was at her side. "I gotta get up"  
  
Mara nodded, knowing better then to argue. "Alright just next door right?"  
  
Leia nodded and painfully slowly the Princess began the arduous task of putting one foot in front of the other.  
  
As the door shut behind her Mara saw Solo enter.  
  
"So you gonna tell her?"  
  
Solo's big brown eyes widened innocently. He wanted to play it like that then fine.  
  
"I don't know what the hell you're talking about"  
  
Mara shrugged. "Hmm well I'm gonna take a wide stab in the dark and say that rather public kiss with Skywalker in the hall and the way you've been gazing into each others eyes gave me a slight clue."  
  
She had him and she knew it. She crossed her arms. "So I am going to ask you again. Are you going to tell Leia about the affair you're having with her own brother"  
  
Her eyes glinted. "By the way can I just say this is something very reminiscent of a holodrama. A very bad holodrama"  
  
Han glared. "This is none of your business here Jade." Han glared, standing right in front of Mara. They both had seen a lot of the Universe ad in some ways they were a lot a like. But that didn't mean Mara wasn't going to fold his butt into the next trash compactor.  
  
"You don't deserve her Solo" Mara said, enjoying the anger and the regret on the man's face.  
  
"Her first thought was of you. How you were. What you were doing. Course maybe if she knew you were doing her brother maybe she would've been a little less nice"  
  
Mara wasn't quite sure where her tirade was coming from but it made her feel a lot better.  
  
"If you could have seen her face when she asked if you were alright, God I wish someone would look at me that way."  
  
Han's face was impassive but Mara had enough training to know she had hit a nerve. The one good thing Palpatine had shown her. How to manipulate another's feelings, Mara kept her voice low. She didn't want Leia overhearing this.  
  
"You think this was planned?" Han demanded of her, "You think I wanted to hurt her."  
  
"No" Mara answered truthfully. "I just think you were thinking of yourself. What you wanted. It was easy to forget that she was frozen that she was dying"  
  
"Hey"  
  
Together Mara and Han turned. Leia was leaning heavily on the doorknob, a glass of water was in her hand.  
  
"Hey Princess"  
  
Leia frowned and mock sighed. "Of all the people to wake up from a coma from it had to be you"  
  
Han pretend to be offended. "Hey I am great company. Play a little cards, gamble..." Leia rolled her eyes as she climbed back on the bed. Han and Mara turned to watch her, ready to pick up some sign that Leia had heard. Leia seemed oblivious though.  
  
"You're not getting into trouble are you? You're a bad influence on Luke"  
  
That hurt. Mara sent a glare Solo's way but he ignored her. He easily wrapped an arm around the princess. "Darlin' I have been a saint. Ask anyone."  
  
Leia shrugged his arm off. "Yeah right."  
  
Han grinned. "Princess you wound me" he turned to Mara. "Think maybe we can be alone?"  
  
Mara scowled but Leia was agreeing. "We do need to talk"  
  
The redhead nodded but as she reached the door her eyes met Han's  
  
"Tell her or I will" 


	4. Truth Han spills his guts

Han gently sat on the edge of Leia's bed, unwilling to cause her any more pain. Despite his best attempts as the mattress shifted under his weight Leia winced.  
  
"I'm sorry" Han muttered, not sure whether he should move or not. Leia nodded her head. With amazing accuracy Leia zeroed in on his eyes, the blindness not doing anything to dilute the powerful gaze.  
  
"The doctors said that you could come home tomorrow" Han continued, wanting to love Leia like he had once done, wanting to be able to hold her. But that time was past. He could feel pressure at the back of his neck as if all the guilt was pressing upon him as Leia gazed at him trustingly.  
  
"That'll be nice" Leia croaked, her voice strained since she hadn't used them in months.  
  
Han forced cheerfulness into his voice, "So what do you want to do first? You haven't seen the world in months."  
  
He bit his lip, wishing he could take back the slip. Leia might not ever see the world ever again.  
  
A struggle seemed to be going on inside Leia anyway, she was twisting her bed sheet between her fingers, her head turning slightly to the side as she tried to figure out what to say.  
  
"I know about you and Luke" she said finally, her blind gaze hit the wall and stayed there. Solo could see the strain on her face, whished he was in a place where he could comfort her.  
  
"And I want to say I'm alright with it. But I'm not. Not really, not yet"  
  
Han absorbed that, "That's okay"  
  
Silence fell in the room, and it was a good silence. Han knew he would cherish Leia's friendship, that instead of losing something he had gained something bigger.  
  
Mara found herself in a large conference room, intrigued and with nothing else to do, Mara walked inside the large chamber. It was set out like the senate. A space was reserved in the middle for the speaker with tiers of seats encircled round so everyone could have a say. Mara gently drew her finger over a seat. 'Imagine that' she thought wryly. 'The Hand right in the middle of the rebellion's nerve centre' the thought caused a smile. She still felt like she was undercover, so despite her training she jumped as a small rustling of cloth alerted her to a presence. Mon Mothma.  
  
The leader of the rebellion stood in front of her, looking the every inch of the diplomatic leader of freedom fighters. She was dressed all in white, while Mara was dressed in black, she couldn't help but notice the differences.  
  
Mon Mothma swept by her, taking her place in the centre. Slowly Mara pivoted to bring her in her line of sight.  
  
"I would like to extend my thanks on behalf of the Rebellion for your daring rescue of Princess Leia" Mon said formally.  
  
"Not a problem"  
  
Mon Mothma sat on one of the chairs, watching the young assassin carefully.  
  
"But still you remain"  
  
Mara stiffened. Could no one in this rebellion keep their noses out of someone's business?  
  
"Yep. Figured it couldn't hurt, I have nowhere else to go."  
  
The other woman nodded.  
  
"Princess Leia has expressed her wish for you to remain, too"  
  
Mara Jade made an expression of innocence her arms coming up in a 'so what' gesture.  
  
"The rebellion is the only family Leia Organa has. She is very important"  
  
Mara shifted slightly, not going anywhere, just shifting her feet.  
  
"I know." 


	5. Adventure and truth telling or maybe not

Mara felt the universe double over on itself as the last link to the Empire died.  
  
Part of her died.  
  
She could hate it, could fight it but it was true, the Empire was the only thing she knew, the only thing she had trusted.  
  
Instinctively she looked back into the hospital room. Just like Leia had trusted Han and Luke.  
  
She wondered how much Leia remembered of her time before being frozen, sure she remembered her brother and Han but how much wasn't haze.  
  
Mara knew the effects of the freezing could send some people mad, obviously Leia was in no danger of that but still Mara wanted to know how much Leia could recall.  
  
She didn't want to hurt Leia, not emotionally anyway but she knew the princess well enough that if Mara hinted at something she didn't want to discuss she would turn the conversation around.  
  
It was about trust.  
  
Right now Leia acted out of gratitude rather then knowledge. Leia had to know Mara's background yet she had trusted her enough to allow her to stay- where any number of rebellion tricks could be overheard.  
  
She wondered how much if any, Leia remembered about her. About their meeting.  
  
Mara doubted much had penetrated the steep fog that enshrouded the princess.  
  
She had respected Leia's ability as a warrior; she had given Mara a run for her money although in the end Mara knew she would have won.  
  
She always did.  
  
But she respected Leia's purity of thought, and she knew Leia respected her own. That was why it was hard for them.  
  
Two people who had the same basic beliefs but were on two sides of a bloody war.  
  
But the war was over  
  
Mara rapped three times on the door as it slid open, Mara took a curious look around. The bed was rumpled but Leia wasn't in it, obviously the princess had decided to go for a walk.  
  
Mara stifled a curse. The healers had made it clear that Leia was not ready to be allowed out. The freezing process had caused Leia to revert back to baby steps.  
  
Mara hunted the hallways, knowing Leia wouldn't be able to get far despite her pride. She was right, Leia sat hunched over on one of the service benches breathing heavily. Mara didn't like that stiff wheezing noise Leia was making.  
  
Her skin was pale and dripping with sweat, obviously her short walk from her room to the bench had tired her out.  
  
"So was that the dumbest thing you've done yet?" she asked pleasantly.  
  
Leia glared at her through heavy breathing and dark eyelashes.  
  
"I needed to get out" she rasped.  
  
"And what keel over in the hallway? Not very princess like your highness"  
  
"Go away" The anger in the smaller woman was genuine and Mara wondered again whether she should. But that wouldn't help Leia get better.  
  
"C'mon it was a joke" Easily she slipped her arm over Leia's dragging her to her feet. Leia stood slightly tilted but she could move.  
  
"You probably added another two weeks at least to your recovery now" she said as she half assisted half hauled the half conscious princess back to her room. Leia didn't answer and she strained against Mara's hold as if she were offended by the mere idea that Mara had to help her.  
  
"I'm not staying here any more" Leia got out between harsh bouts of coughing as she finally laid back against the pillows.  
  
"Well you're not going anywhere quickly that's for sure. Mon Mothma said so herself" Mara replied importantly/  
  
"Since when do you take orders from the rebellion?" Leia asked scornfully.  
  
"Since they started making sense, look at this objectively Leia, you can barely walk and your eye sight is worse then ever. You'd be struck of duty for months if you tried to go into the combat zone"  
  
Silence fell in the room; it wasn't bad silence just quiet. Mara could hear the machines click nearby in constant rhythm.  
  
"I want to talk about Aldeeran" Mara said suddenly  
  
"Funny. I don't"  
  
"Why?" Mara challenged.  
  
"It's none of your business" Leia said sharply.  
  
"Maybe not but I'm still asking" Mara replied simply. 


End file.
